The present invention relates to a lighter-than-air aircraft. It also relates to a deballasting method implemented in a lighter-than-air aircraft.
Such a device or method makes it possible for a user to proceed to deballasting. The field of the invention is more particularly, but non-limitatively, that of dirigible balloons.
Historically, ballasting and deballasting have been carried out by means of sandbags, birdshot, lead or water.
Technological developments and new requirements are resulting in the re-emergence of opportunities for the use of dirigibles.
The laws of aerostatics mean that the dirigible must always be close to equilibrium, and if during flight the latter must pick up a load, then there must be an exchange of weight in order to maintain its equilibrium. If the balloon loads several tonnes of freight it must jettison several tonnes of ballast.
Within the context of the use of water as a ballasting system, the latter must be drained during loading. If the loading operation takes place in flight (in principle in an almost static position), and when large volumes of water are involved, it may prove impossible to release this water below the dirigible, due to:                possible difficulties in recovering this water,        or, if the water is discharged and is not recovered, as a result of:                    possible problems with water drainage, or            soil erosion, or            safety of the teams on the ground.                        
The purpose of the present invention is to overcome this impossibility.